UCI Coach Russell Turner calls team ‘legendary’ after tough overtime loss in NIT final

UCI players near the end of the NIT home win vs. UAB. (FILE PHOTO: Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone).

UC Irvine’s winningest men’s basketball season in school history had a heartbreaking ending Thursday night when the Anteaters fell to Chattanooga 85-84 in overtime in front of 2,825 fans in the championship game of the NIT at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Ind.

Anteater fans in attendance and students watching at a viewing party at the Bren Events Center had plenty to cheer about when UCI moved out to an eight-point lead in the second half, overcoming a one-point halftime deficit in its first appearance in an NIT final.

But Chattanooga roared back to send the game into overtime and missed free throws down the stretch and a missed shot at the end cost the Anteaters in the end.

There were 14 lead changes in the game in which both teams battled from start to finish in a game televised by ESPN. The game was tied nine times.

“It’s a tough assignment coming in here after an incredible game like that, that we came in second,” UCI Coach Russell Turner told the media in Indianapolis after the game.

“But the team I’ve got this year is legendary, they’ve left an incredible mark on me and on our community, our athletic department and our basketball program and accomplished just some amazing things this season that we’re going to try and work through this pain and focus on and hopefully be able to use this tough experience to continue to get better.”

Chattanooga took a 76-74 lead when Honor Huff hit two free throws with 13 seconds left in regulation. UCI then sent the game into overtime when Myles Che was fouled on a 3-pointer and made two of three free throws to tie it 76-76. Chattanooga was unable to convert on its next possession.

In the overtime, UCI moved out to an 84-83 lead with 31 seconds left and had a chance to extend the lead.

But center Bent Leuchten missed two free throws and Chattanooga got possession. Garrison Keeslar hit a jumper with 11 seconds remaining to put Chattanooga ahead 85-84. The Anteaters then turned the ball over on their next possession. But Chattanooga missed two free throws, giving UCI one more chance with 2.5 seconds left.

After a timeout, the Anteaters Devin Tillis lobbed a perfect long pass in the front court to Leuchten, who fed the ball to freshman Jurian Dixon, but Dixon’s close-range shot fell off the rim as time expired.

UCI ended the season with a 32-7 record, the most wins in school history.

The Anteaters’ Justin Hohn and Tillis were named to the all-tournament team. Trey Bonham and Huff, who led Chattanooga to its first NIT title, were also named to the team along with Atin Wright of North Texas.

Tillis led UCI with 19 points, three 3-pointers, eight rebounds and three assists. Hohn had 17 points, four assists and three steals and Dixon scored 16 points and had five rebounds.

Leuchten had 15 points and 11 rebounds and Che 13 points, three assists, two rebounds and a block.

UCI, the third best free throw shooting team in the nation going into the game, struggled Thursday making just 21 of 34 (61.8 percent). Chattanooga made 15 of 21 free throw attempts (71.4 percent).

The Anteaters made 29 of 62 field goal attempts (46 percent). UCI also outrebounded 44-40.

Chattanooga (29-8) was led by Colin Mulholland and Bonham, who each had 19 points and Keeslar and Huff, who had 14 points each. Keeslar and Bonham also had 10 rebounds each,

Tillis, who attended the press conference with Hohn, said he cherished the opportunity to compete in the NIT.

“It’s been fun,” the senior said. “Being able to play in a hard game every night is something everybody lives for to compete, we just came up short tonight.”

“Before the year, I told one of our freshmen before we played any games, my goal, besides winning the Big West Tournament, was to get 30 wins and we got 32, so I guess that’s an accomplishment,” added Hohn.

UCI won nine of its last 11 games and captured four wins in the NIT, three at the Bren Center. All of the games were televised nationally on ESPN or ESPN2.

“I think the season became more than anyone expected it would,” Turner said in response to a question from Jacob Ramos The New University about the season. “I think this team’s overall over-achievement is what will be evident in time, it’s hard to focus on that tonight with such a difficult loss.

“But for us to consistently perform the way that we did through an incredibly difficult non-conference schedule in which we played almost all of our games on the road to a conference season where we won 17 games out of 20, to this run now in the NIT where we showed our competitive spirit and our togetherness, all the type of things that I think people who follow sports want to connect to and feel a part of.

“But that’s what we did for our community, it’s a special thing when that happens. As a coach, I’ve been lucky to be a part of it a few times, several times really, but this was as good an overall season as I could imagine. But I know some will focus on the fact that we didn’t win any championships and that’s short sighted and a shame. I understand that from young guys and the pain they feel from falling short of their goals but that’s a lot of what is great about sports, you have to go through things that can give you an opportunity to grow.

“Hopefully our community’s support and appreciation for this year’s team will also continue to grow.”

UCI defeated North Texas 69-67 in the semifinals on Tuesday.

—Story written by Tim Burt of OC Sports Zone from Orange County with some info provided by UCI Athletic Communications.